The Kano State High Court on Wednesday adjourned the trial of former Kano State Governor, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, and seven others facing charges of bribery, conspiracy, misappropriation and diversion of public funds until 14 October 2026.
Ganduje is standing trial alongside his wife, Hafsat Umar, on an 11-count charge bordering on the alleged offences involving billions of naira in public funds.
The other defendants are Abubakar Bawuro, Abdullahi Umar, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Ltd, Safari Textiles Ltd and Lasage General Enterprises Ltd.
The case came up before the court for the hearing of all pending applications when counsel to the prosecution, Mr Victor Oni, informed the court that the state was ready to proceed with the matter.
Oni sought leave of the court to withdraw the prosecution’s earlier motion dated 31 March 2026 and replace it with a fresh motion on notice dated 15 May 2026, accompanied by a counter-affidavit and written address.
Counsel to the defendants did not oppose the application. However, counsel to the sixth defendant, Mr Abubakar Ahmad, told the court that he had filed a notice of preliminary objection, counter-affidavit and written address, and requested a date for hearing.
In her ruling, the presiding judge, Justice Amina Adamu-Aliyu, struck out the prosecution’s motion dated 31 March 2026 and adjourned the matter until 14 October 2026 for the hearing of the sixth defendant’s preliminary objection.
The trial is one of several high-profile corruption cases before the Kano State High Court and centres on allegations of misappropriation and diversion of public funds against the defendants.
